Warrants can sneak up on you when you least them to. In many cases, people are arrested on warrants they had no idea existed. Depending on the type of warrant, you might be arrested the next time you encounter law enforcement officials.
If you go to court and have a warrant in New Jersey, law enforcement at the court may execute the warrant and arrest you. Not only that, but you might be arrested for a New Jersey warrant even if you go to court in another state. If you are arrested in another state, you may be extradited to New Jersey. The situation becomes more complicated if you are in another state’s court because you are standing trial for criminal offenses in that state.
Dealing with warrants can be especially challenging because you might not know they exist. Our Atlantic City criminal defense lawyers can help you handle any warrants and hopefully clear them before your next court date. Call the Law Offices of John J. Zarych at (609) 616-4956 for a free review of your case.
Can I Be Arrested If I Go to Court and Have a Warrant in New Jersey?
It is fairly common for court officials to check if someone has any other open cases or warrants. When they find out that someone in their court is wanted on warrants, they may bring it to the attention of law enforcement and have you arrested.
While being arrested when you go to court is certainly possible, it is not always guaranteed. After all, the court likely wants to complete your hearing, which is not possible if you are taken to jail when you arrive. If you believe you might have a warrant but are not sure, call our New Jersey criminal defense lawyers for help.
Not only that, but a court might be more lenient if the warrant is for something minor. For example, if there is a bench warrant out for your arrest because you missed a hearing over a traffic citation, the court may not have you arrested. Instead, they might warn you of the warrant and advise you to address it as soon as possible. However, if the warrant is for something very serious, like a felony, you are more likely to be arrested when you arrive for court.
Going to Court in Another State When You Have Warrants in New Jersey
A New Jersey warrant can follow you anywhere you go. Information about warrants is often entered into interstate databases like the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Law enforcement and courts in other states will know if you have warrants in New Jersey, and you can be arrested for those warrants no matter what state you are in.
Being arrested in another state on a New Jersey warrant is somewhat complicated. While the police in that state can arrest you, you must be prosecuted in New Jersey. This means that you can be extradited to New Jersey. If you believe you will be extradited, call our Atlantic City criminal defense lawyers for help immediately.
Just like before, whether you are arrested depends on what your warrants are for. Law enforcement in another state might not want to spend resources on a minor New Jersey problem like a traffic violation. If you are wanted on more serious warrants, the police in the other state are more likely to arrest you.
Extradition is when two or more states cooperate to take a person into custody and transport them to the state with jurisdiction over their case. Precisely how this happens may have a lot to do with the extradition laws in the other state. Even so, extradition can be requested by New Jersey’s governor.
What Happens If I Am Extradited to New Jersey for a Warrant?
According to N.J.S.A. § 2A:160-31, the governor of New Jersey is responsible for formally requesting extradition. To extradite a person, the governor of New Jersey must make a request to officials from the other state. How this request is made largely depends on the other state’s extradition laws. Generally, states tend to honor requests for extradition from other states if all the right requirements are met.
Since a request from the governor is a significant thing to ask for, people wanted on minor warrants probably will not be extradited. However, people who are wanted for serious felonies, have escaped from incarceration, or are wanted for probation or parole violations and are known to have fled the state are likely to be wanted for extradition.
The extradition process can be very intimidating, and our Cape May criminal defense attorneys can help you protect your rights through this experience. We can also help you try to clear any warrants before you leave the state.
Can I Be Extradited to New Jersey If I Am Facing Criminal Charges in Another State
Things become even more complicated when you are not only wanted in New Jersey while staying in another state, but you are also facing criminal charges in the other state. It is not too uncommon for a single defendant to be wanted by two states for criminal prosecution, but both states cannot prosecute at the same time.
According to N.J.S.A. § 2A:160-33, there is a process by which a person can be extradited to New Jersey and then sent back to the other state for additional prosecution. Typically, the governor of New Jersey may agree with officials in the other state to extradite the defendant to New Jersey, complete criminal proceedings, and then send the defendant back to the other state.
Our Gloucester, NJ criminal defense attorneys can help you protect yourself and fight any charges for your New Jersey criminal proceedings. We can also help you coordinate with other attorneys in other states about any other criminal proceedings. However, those proceedings will be handled by the other lawyers in those states.
Call Our New Jersey Criminal Defense Lawyers for Help Immediately
If you believe you have warrants out for your arrest and are afraid to appear for a court date, call our Margate criminal defense lawyers for help. We may be able to help you clear the warrant without getting arrested. Call the Law Offices of John J. Zarych at (609) 616-4956 for a free case evaluation.
